Page 235 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

Also on June 4th the 35th Ranger Battalion cornrnanded by
Major Hoa was ordered to replace the 3Oth Ranger Battalion that had
been fighting for 6 consecutiwe days. AJter just arriving on the battl.e
front one company of this battalion was irnrnediately assigned thetask
to hold blocking positions in Hong Bang Street because the enerny was
reported to have extended their defense in that area, Many buildings
were in enerny hands to include the one where the Chinese Charnber
of Cornrnerce at Phung Hung - Hong Bang Crossroads was located.
On the rnorning o{ June 5th the 35th Ranger Battalion
supported by M.41 tanks was split into 2 colurnns. The force was to
depart frorn Khong Tu Street and advance into the zone of action which
was then divided into 2 objectives.

The 1st objective included Khong Tu, Ly Thanh Nguyen,
Manh Tu and Hoc Lac Streets,

The Znd objective included Nguyen Trai, Phung Hung,
Hong Bang and Ly Thanh Nguyen Streets.

The Ist objective was considered captured at 1135 hours.
The Soai K'inh Larn Re staurant which had been in the hands of the
enerny for rnany days was reoccupied, The tanks were reassigned to
support the attack on the Znd objectiwe which was seized at 1300 hours.
The rangers continued to search tl'e area. A new order was given on
this day, The ernployrnent of air and artilLery support would be lirnited
to avoid causing injury to the people. This new order carne frorn Major
General Nguyen Van Minh the newly assigned cornrnander of the Capital
j
Military D strict who replaced C olonel Nguyen Van Giarn, The order
was effectiwe as of 1000 hours June 4th 1968. But actually, the enerny
force was no longer a significant threat and consisted only o{ isolated
nests of resistance. Tank gunfire and recoilless ri{Ie fire were used
to destroy the rernaining VC sorne of which were still fighting des-
per ate ly frorn scattered positions,

On the rnorning of June 6th one company of the 38th
Ranger Battalion was assigned as reinJorcernents with the rnission
to deny all other enerny infiltration into the city while the 35th Ranger
Battalion continued to conduct search operations. The VC were only
able to pursue the resistance in sorne buildings on the left of Dong
Khanh and Hoc Lac Streets in front of Father Tarr:rs Church. By 1300
hours this enerny l0 rran-group was elirninated, A11 were killed. In
other areas 30 VC bodies lay scattered here and there.
A few isolated elernents were stll1 firing because they

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